Ten #2
“Does every bonsai need to be wired?” I asked while trying to stretch my leg.
Ulrich laughed, a joyful bird-like cry, “What a question!” I tried to hide the rush of heat to my face but he didn’t seem to notice.
“I have no answer for that. I have heard that in Japan there were two schools of bonsai, a north and south. One would use wire to bring the tree into shape, conforming the tree to the vision of what it should be. The other looked at the tree and with just trimming, shaped the tree, letting the tree reveal itself through the pruning.”
“Which was which?”
“What?” Ulrich looked startled as if I’d interrupted him.
“Which was the north method and which was the south?”
Shrugging, the gardener rotated the juniper left and then right, studying it.
“I don’t know, and don’t care. I’m also not sure if there really were two schools.
” His accent clipped the consonants in a melodic way.
“Personally, I use both methods, the one supporting the other. Pruning reveals the potential in the plant and the wiring allows it to realize its potential.”
Brushing past me Ulrich strode out of the greenhouse to the rows of bonsai outside.
“I need a favor.” Before I could say no, Ulrich kept on talking.
“A batch of raw juniper bushes is being delivered on Monday. Can you sketch out some designs for my Thursday visit? You seem like someone who knows trees.”
“I spent some time around trees. But I don’t draw.” I hadn’t picked up a pencil since art class in high school. When I’d started earning a paycheck, drawing seemed juvenile and unnecessary.
Eyeing the display Ulrich paced back and forth shifting both his body and head like an agitated bird.
“Trees are enough. The drawing will take care of itself.” With a frown Ulrich rotated a maple that was just beginning to show red buds where leaves would emerge.
“Pencil and paper can be learned, but dreaming a tree only happens when you live with them.”
Kathy cleared her throat, “Am I interrupting?” I dropped the clippers on the table with a clatter. Ulrich continued his ostrich walk and then adjusted another bonsai, this one a tall evergreen with branches spread like a stretching man waking from a nap.
“Oh no,” Ulrich said without pausing. “We are done. He is helpful and knows trees.” Then with a flapping hand Ulrich waved me off, “Go on.”
“Actually, I was looking for you, but I do need to talk to Craig,” Kathy said, Ulrich’s brusk manner drawing a defensive retort. “Lukas said you wanted some space inside the store?”
“Yes.” Ulrich straightened, “this is fine,” he said indicating the open aired exterior plant area, “for outdoor plants, but I can’t bring a ficus or carmona here and they are popular. They need a warm space.”
Looking past Ulrich to me standing in the greenhouse workspace, Kathy nodded absently. “Okay. They have sold well, I’ll see what we can do. But it probably won’t be much. And I’m not sure how the display will look.”
“The display is important. The presentation sells the tree.” Ulrich looked at Kathy with grim eyes and a pursed flinty mouth.
“Uh, alright. I’ll talk to Lukas.” Then turning directly to me Kathy asked, “Can I see you, Craig?”
“Sure.”
Folding her arms Kathy tried not to look at Ulrich. “Over here. Like now.”
Pushing the plastic divider out of the way she walked me back into the store's interior. “I really don’t want you bothering him. Ulrich is temperamental and the bonsai really are selling well.”
“Well, you guessed right.”
“What?”
“You wanted the bonsai trees and Lukas thought it was weird. You were right and Lukas was wrong.” I matched her crossed arms but smiled. It felt good to say Lukas was wrong. Especially when it was true.
Shaking her head as she blinked Kathy tried to change the subject. “I didn’t want to talk to you about Lukas. Just don’t bother Ulrich. He’s kind of a diva and if he doesn’t like working with a store he drops them.”
“He asked me to draw some trees on Monday.”
“What?”
I repeated myself which didn’t make it sound any less weird. Because it was weird. “Ulrich asked me to draw some trees when the junipers come in on Monday.”
“You don’t draw.”
Kathy had been busy with college when I was in high school, but she wasn’t wrong. Drawing had never been something I was serious about. “I told him I didn’t but he said that didn’t matter because I knew trees.”
Kathy didn’t say anything for a couple of heartbeats. Finally she just nodded, “Okay. But stay out of his way.”
I know she was my older sister, and I should be used to her telling me what to do, and it was her husband’s store, but Kathy made me angry.
I hadn’t asked Ulrich to help, he’d just started ordering me around.
If anything, he was imposing on me. “Is that all you wanted to talk to me about?” I said, arms folded.
“No. I didn’t even know you were here. Jackie asked if you could come to her game tonight. Something about really killing it last time and she didn’t want to jinx this game.”
I was speechless, and a bit woozy. Or maybe it was my leg turning a little weak. I took hold of a shelf full of dog dishes just to be safe. I’d never been a good luck charm before. More likely Jackie was pitying me for having nothing else going on, but she did win last time.
“I can be there.”
“Good, I’ll let her know. I should be there as well, Lukas is picking up Darren, so you won’t have to bring her home. Just come to the game.”
As if I minded picking up my niece who I lived with. Maybe Kathy was still feeling put off by Ulrich’s oddness. “I’ll be there. Same place and time?”
“Yeah, it’s a home game.”
Suddenly I didn’t want to be around Kathy.
As great a sister as she was, sometimes she was too much of a mom.
I really needed a place of my own. I really needed a job.
My voc-counselor should probably know I’d gotten the CPR class scheduled.
Maybe that safety position was still open.
“I need to make a call,” I pulled out my phone.
“So, I’ll see you at the school.” Holding my phone, I shuffled down the aisle cursing the tingle in my toes.
I would have to wait to dial until I was outside.
I could still walk and chew gum at the same time but not much else.